It’s always more fun to honor someone when they don’t expect it, and when they honestly don’t understand what all the fuss is all about. Then, you can be assured that they’re doing their good deeds for the right reasons.
Such was the case with this year’s honorees for the Abe Awards, presented last Thursday by the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce.
Receiving the prestigious awards for exemplary community service work were Joyce Mueller and Doug Kenebel.

This week’s Mystery Banks Photo: These two boys, pictured several years ago in Indian outfits, grew up in Vandalia. The one on the left now works at the Vandalia Correctional Center, while the one on the left now lives in Edwardsville.Do you know them? If so, call The Leader-Union, 283-3374.In last week’s Mystery Banks Photo were: No picture last week.This week’s Scrambler: ginbe hirc si ginvah nymoe; nebig hytlewa si vignah meit.

Editor:
In the Jan. 20 issue of The Leader-Union, the front page headline "Carson, Porter kicked off ballot" was very misleading.
These persons did not have proper petitions, and so were denied a place on the ballot. Anyone that wants to run for public office is first required to file a petition with a required number of signatures. It is up to the one presenting the petition to make sure they have the required number.

1996 – The Vandalia City Council accepted the resignation of Jeanne Gustafson, who had headed up the city’s economic development efforts for the previous 6 1/2 years. Gustafson accepted a similar job in Mt. Vernon.
Vandalia Correctional Center Warden Mike Baker reported that the construction of a new work camp at VCC was “moving right along.” The work camp was to house 400 minimum-security beds and employ 155 staff members.
Albert and Rena Torbeck were planning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

On Feb. 11, 1861, president-elect Abraham Lincoln left Springfield for Washington, D.C., for the inauguration. On the same day, Jefferson Davis left his home in Vicksburg, Miss., for Montgomery, Ala., to accept the presidency of the Confederate states.
For this reason, Feb. 11 has been chosen as the start of the sesquicentennial celebration of the Civil War. Many states have formed official commissions, and Illinois, for its part, is making an attempt to get into the Guinness Book of World Records.

It’s a good time to be a fan of Abraham Lincoln.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s departure from Illinois to Washington, D.C., to assume the presidency at one of the most difficult times in our nation’s history.
Though he left the Springfield train station on Feb. 11, 1861, with considerable trepidation, he carried with him the resolve that he could, indeed, make a difference in the nation’s capital. He carried, too, the support and prayers of his friends and family who remained in Illinois.